Questions on Hiatt shackles

Hello,

I understand that recent Hiatt old style darby shackles were made from pot metal and are non-magnetic; they generally considered worth less.

When did HIATT start using this method? [1980s?]

Is it safe to say any shackles of this kind were never used by the police / prison system?

Did they ever make "repro irons" that were numbered, stamped HIATT and BRITISH MADE? I believe "Britsh Made" indicates post 1920.

Someone may have brought up wartime shortages, but I don't remember where I read it.


Thanks for any advice.

Nils

Hello Nils,

I do know that the U.K. BDSM firm of "Fetters" was instrumental in getting Hiatts in the 1970's and 80's to "re release" some classic darby patterns including the Hiatt solid state handcuffs and leg irons, the Hiatt bar cuffs and leg irons, and the Irish 8.

All of these reissues were made from steel and were stamped Hiatt and British Made.

I am assuming you likely bought the recent Hiatt leg iron "gang chains" that were offered on U.K. Ebay. IMHO, this was the sort of thing that would have come about as a result of Fetters prodding.

For Police and prison use, most of the later produced Hiatt items used by law enforcement were of steel but I have seen and owned some nickel plated lightweight cast Hiatt darby products that are inferior but do bear a stamp or etching that indicate they were in fact used at one time by law enforcement.

Cheers, Steve

Hello,

I understand that recent Hiatt old style darby shackles were made from pot metal and are non-magnetic; they generally considered worth less.

When did HIATT start using this method? [1980s?]

Is it safe to say any shackles of this kind were never used by the police / prison system?

Did they ever make "repro irons" that were numbered, stamped HIATT and BRITISH MADE? I believe "Britsh Made" indicates post 1920.

Someone may have brought up wartime shortages, but I don't remember where I read it.


Thanks for any advice.

Nils

Click to expand...

I have some of the Hiatts cast zinc alloy restraints, both Darby handcuffs and Darby leg irons. My understanding is that they allowed Hiatts to sell historical reproduction items for nostalgic and play purposes, without violating British law or the production or export of torture implements. I can't imagine them being trusted for police use.

Hello,

I understand that recent Hiatt old style darby shackles were made from pot metal and are non-magnetic; they generally considered worth less.

When did HIATT start using this method? [1980s?]

Is it safe to say any shackles of this kind were never used by the police / prison system?

Did they ever make "repro irons" that were numbered, stamped HIATT and BRITISH MADE? I believe "Britsh Made" indicates post 1920.

Someone may have brought up wartime shortages, but I don't remember where I read it.


Thanks for any advice.

Nils

Click to expand...

I have some of the Hiatts cast zinc alloy restraints, both Darby handcuffs and Darby leg irons. My understanding is that they allowed Hiatts to sell historical reproduction items for nostalgic and play purposes, without violating British law or the production or export of torture implements. I can't imagine them being trusted for police use.

Hello,

I understand that recent Hiatt old style darby shackles were made from pot metal and are non-magnetic; they generally considered worth less.

When did HIATT start using this method? [1980s?]

Is it safe to say any shackles of this kind were never used by the police / prison system?

Did they ever make "repro irons" that were numbered, stamped HIATT and BRITISH MADE? I believe "Britsh Made" indicates post 1920.

Someone may have brought up wartime shortages, but I don't remember where I read it.


Thanks for any advice.

Nils

Click to expand...

Hi Nils, as far as I know from corresponding with Maurice of Fetters and my purchases, when Fetters began the handcuffs, figure eight and the leg irons were steel. Some of the darby cuffs were modified and built into darby solid states. The bows of both the darby HC and figure eights were flat (ish) on the face and had belt sander styrations. These steel cuff apart from the leg iron appeared to be purpose made for fetter, not made from old stock.

At some stage Hiatt made purpose die moulds for re-issuing the darby 104, 115 and leg iron. All these were cast in zinc alloy. And were available plated or polished.

Dennis. It was much latter that the law was changed due to one polly who was shocked to see darby leg irons on a prisons ankles on TV news. Later laws may have followed but this was well before 2000.


Ian

Hello,

I understand that recent Hiatt old style darby shackles were made from pot metal and are non-magnetic; they generally considered worth less.

When did HIATT start using this method? [1980s?]

Is it safe to say any shackles of this kind were never used by the police / prison system?

Did they ever make "repro irons" that were numbered, stamped HIATT and BRITISH MADE? I believe "Britsh Made" indicates post 1920.

Someone may have brought up wartime shortages, but I don't remember where I read it.


Thanks for any advice.

Nils

Click to expand...

Hi,

During the mid to late 1980's Hiatts were definately supplying the zinc alloy 104, 115 and leg irons to some African and far eastern countrys. Production of the cast cuffs would also have been cheaper as production would be quicker and they would require less skill and hand fitting and finishing.
Certainly during that time there was very little issue about exporting any kind of restraints. I think simply that most forces were using some form of swing through ratchet cuff and the skills needed to manufacture darby cuffs were been lost. The casting method simply allowed them to fulfill orders for the darby design as required.

Hello,

I understand that recent Hiatt old style darby shackles were made from pot metal and are non-magnetic; they generally considered worth less.

When did HIATT start using this method? [1980s?]

Is it safe to say any shackles of this kind were never used by the police / prison system?

Did they ever make "repro irons" that were numbered, stamped HIATT and BRITISH MADE? I believe "Britsh Made" indicates post 1920.

Someone may have brought up wartime shortages, but I don't remember where I read it.


Thanks for any advice.

Nils

Click to expand...

Dennis. It was much latter that the law was changed due to one polly who was shocked to see darby leg irons on a prisons ankles on TV news. Later laws may have followed but this was well before 2000.

Thanks for the correction. So I guess they made the change for economic reasons. Maybe, from a practical POV, they're secure enough for thgeir purpose.

Hello,

I understand that recent Hiatt old style darby shackles were made from pot metal and are non-magnetic; they generally considered worth less.

When did HIATT start using this method? [1980s?]

Is it safe to say any shackles of this kind were never used by the police / prison system?

Did they ever make "repro irons" that were numbered, stamped HIATT and BRITISH MADE? I believe "Britsh Made" indicates post 1920.

Someone may have brought up wartime shortages, but I don't remember where I read it.


Thanks for any advice.

Nils

Click to expand...

Were the alloy versions of the Hiatt derbies aimed at police/prison sales? Or were they only intended for the collector/recreation market? Anyone know?